AMENDED AND RESTATED] INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.1
[AMENDED AND RESTATED] INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into this th day of , 20 between Exar Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“the Company”) and (“Indemnitee”). [This Agreement amends and restates and supersedes and replaces that certain Indemnification Agreement dated as of by and between the Company and Indemnitee (the “Prior Agreement”).]
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, Indemnitee has been selected to serve or is currently serving as a director or officer of the Company and in such capacity is expected to render or has rendered valuable services to the Company;
WHEREAS, the Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”) and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Law”) by their nonexclusive nature, permit contracts between the Company and the directors and officers of the Company with respect to indemnification and advancement of expenses of such directors and officers;
WHEREAS, the Company has investigated the availability and sufficiency of director’s and officer’s liability insurance (“D & O Insurance”), the statutory provisions of the Law regarding indemnification and expense advancement, [the Prior Agreement] and the Bylaws to provide its directors and officers adequate protection against various legal risks and potential liabilities to which directors and officers are subject due to their position with the Company and has concluded that the same may provide insufficient protection to individuals requested to serve as its directors and officers;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Bylaws of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder;
WHEREAS, [in recognition of past services and] in order to induce Indemnitee to [continue to] serve as a director and/or officer of the Company, the Company has determined, after due consideration and investigation of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and the various other options available to the Company and Indemnitee in lieu of this Agreement, that this Agreement is not only reasonable and prudent, but necessary to promote and ensure the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and has agreed to enter into this contract with Indemnitee;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of Indemnitee’s continued service as a director and/or officer after the date hereof the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Indemnity of Indemnitee. The Company hereby agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent authorized or permitted by the provisions of the Law, as such may be amended from time to time. In furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting the generality thereof:
(a) Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Section 1(a) if, by reason of his Corporate Status (as hereinafter defined), he is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (as hereinafter defined) other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company. Pursuant to this Section 1(a), Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses (as hereinafter defined), judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful.
(b) Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Section 1(b) if, by reason of his Corporate Status, he is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 1(b), Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company; provided, however, that, if applicable law so provides, no indemnification against such Expenses shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter in such Proceeding as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and to the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or the court in which such Proceeding shall have been brought or is pending, shall determine that such indemnification may be made.
(c) Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a party to (or participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, he shall be indemnified to the maximum extent permitted by law against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter, to the fullest extent
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permitted by law. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
2. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated to make any indemnity or advancement of Expenses under this Agreement:
(i) In respect to remuneration paid to Indemnitee if it shall be determined by a final judgment or other final adjudication that such remuneration was in violation of law;
(ii) For which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision;
(iii) For (i) an accounting of profits made from the purchase or sale by Indemnitee of securities of the Company pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and amendments thereto (the “Act”) or similar provisions of any federal, state or local statutory law, or (ii) any reimbursement of the Company by the Indemnitee of any bonus or other remuneration or any incentive-based or equity -based compensation or of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Act (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 (the “Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act”) or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act, or any reimbursement provisions of the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act);
(iv) On account of Indemnitee’s conduct which is finally adjudged to have been knowingly fraudulent or deliberately dishonest, or to constitute willful misconduct; or
(v) If a final decision by a court having jurisdiction in the matter shall determine that such indemnification is not lawful.
3. Contribution. To the fullest extent permitted by law, if the indemnification provided in Section 1 is unavailable and may not be paid to Indemnitee for any reason other than those set forth in Section 1 or 2, the Company shall contribute to the amount of Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred and paid or payable by Indemnitee in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
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and by the Indemnitee on the other hand from the transaction from which such Proceeding arose, and (ii) the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Indemnitee on the other hand in connection with the events which resulted in such Expenses, judgments, fines or settlement amounts, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Indemnitee on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent the circumstances resulting in such Expenses, judgments, fines or settlement amounts. The Company agrees that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 3 were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the foregoing equitable considerations.
4. Indemnification for Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.
5. Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law and subject to this Agreement, all reasonable Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status within ten days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claims. Such statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against such Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest free.
6. Procedure for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification.
(a) Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing of any matter with respect to which Indemnitee intends to seek indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt by Indemnitee of notice thereof. The written notification to the Company shall include a description of the nature of the Proceeding and the facts underlying the Proceeding. To obtain indemnification and/or advancement of Expenses by the Company under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent
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Indemnitee is entitled to such indemnification and/or advancement of Expenses. The failure by Indemnitee to notify the Company hereunder shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee hereunder or otherwise than under this Agreement, and any delay in so notifying the Company shall not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights under this Agreement. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification and/or advancement of Expenses, advise the Board of Directors in writing that Indemnitee has made such a request.
(b) The Company shall be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(c) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, a determination, if required by applicable law or otherwise requested by Indemnitee or the Company, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case: (i) if a Change in Control (as hereinafter defined) shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel (as hereinafter defined) in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such determination be made by the Board of Directors or the stockholders, in which case the determination shall be made in the manner provided in Clause (ii) below), or (ii) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred, (A) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined), or (B) if there are no such Disinterested Directors or, said Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, or (C) by a committee of Disinterested Directors if so designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board of Directors, or (D) if so directed by said Disinterested Directors, by the stockholders of the Company; and, if it is determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any Independent Counsel, member of the Board of Directors, or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination under this Agreement of the Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
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(d) If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(c) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(d). If a Change in Control shall not have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board of Directors, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Change in Control shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board of Directors, in which event the preceding sentence shall apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within 10 days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 14 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit. Subject to Section 8(f), if, within 20 days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof if a determination is required by law that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder or within 20 days after a request for such determination by Indemnitee or the Company, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or other court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by such Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to this Agreement, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(d), regardless of the manner in which such Independent Counsel was selected or appointed. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 8(a)(iii) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
(e) The Company shall not be required to obtain the consent of the Indemnitee to the settlement of any Proceeding which the Company has undertaken to defend if the Company assumes full and sole responsibility for such settlement and the settlement grants the Indemnitee a complete and unqualified release in respect of the potential liability.
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7. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 6(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption.
(b) Subject to Section 8(f), if the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 6 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating documentation and/or information relating thereto and notice thereof is provided by such person, persons or entity prior to the expiration of such 30-day period; and provided, further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 7(b) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement and if (A) within fifteen (15) days after receipt by the Company of the request for such determination the Board of Directors or the Disinterested Directors, if appropriate, resolve to submit such determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within ninety (90) days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (B) a special meeting of stockholders is called within fifteen (15) days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within sixty (60) days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement (with or without court approval), conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as
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otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors, Independent Counsel or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any Proceeding pursuant to his Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors, Independent Counsel or its stockholders) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. The provisions of this Section 7(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which the Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such Proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration), it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such Proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof.
8. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) Subject to Section 8(f), in the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 6 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made
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pursuant to Section 5 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(c) of this Agreement within 30 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification (or such longer period, if any, as is permitted by Section 7(b)), (iv) payment of indemnification or contribution is not made pursuant to Section 1(c), 3 or 4 of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) payment of indemnification is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or such determination is deemed to have been made pursuant to Section 6 or 7 of this Agreement, or (vi) in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, the Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to the Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the State of Delaware, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of his entitlement to such indemnification and/or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence any such proceeding seeking any such adjudication or arbitration award within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such a proceeding. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(c) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 8 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 8 the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 6(c) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 8, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 8, seeks a judicial adjudication of or an award in arbitration to enforce his rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified by the Company against, any and all
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expenses (of the types described in the definition of Expenses in Section 14 of this Agreement) actually and reasonably incurred by him in such judicial adjudication or arbitration, but only if he prevails therein. If it shall be determined in said judicial adjudication or arbitration that Indemnitee is entitled to receive part but not all of the indemnification sought, the expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such judicial adjudication or arbitration shall be appropriately prorated. It is the intent of the Company that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Indemnitee not be required to incur legal fees or other Expenses associated with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under the Agreement by litigation or otherwise because the cost and expense thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended to be extended to the Indemnitee hereunder. The Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, such Expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for indemnification or advancement of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement or under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company if Indemnitee is wholly successful on the underlying claims; if Indemnitee is not wholly successful on the underlying claims, then such indemnification and advancement shall be only to the extent Indemnitee is successful on such underlying claims or otherwise as permitted by law, whichever is greater.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 8 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement of Indemnitee to indemnification under this Agreement shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.
9. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance: Subrogation.
(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law (including the Law), the certificate of incorporation of the Company, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in the Law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater
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indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or agents or fiduciaries of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice from Indemnitee of a claim pursuant to the terms hereof for indemnification or advancement of Expenses or the commencement of a Proceeding with respect to which Indemnitee may seek indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder, the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such claim or of the commencement of such Proceeding, as the case may be, to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(d) The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of Expenses from such other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise.
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10. Exception to Right of Indemnification. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification under this Agreement with respect to any Proceeding brought by Indemnitee, or any claim therein, unless (a) the bringing of such Proceeding or making of such claim shall have been approved by the Board of Directors or (b) such Proceeding is being brought by the Indemnitee to assert his rights under this Agreement.
11. Duration of Agreement. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company (or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise), whether the act or omission occurred or Proceeding is brought before or after the date of this Agreement, and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any Proceeding (or any proceeding commenced under Section 8 hereof) by reason of his Corporate Status, whether or not he is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether director in indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. This Agreement shall continue in effect regardless of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or any other enterprise at the Company’s request.
12. Security. To the extent requested by the Indemnitee and approved by the Board of Directors, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to the Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to the Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee.
13. Enforcement.
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to
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induce Indemnitee to serve as a director and/or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director and/or officer of the Company.
(b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof[, including the Prior Agreement]; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, the Bylaws of the Company and applicable law, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
(c) Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that in certain instances, federal or Delaware law or applicable public policy may prohibit the Company from indemnifying Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise. Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company may be required to undertake to the Securities and Exchange Commission to submit the question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the Company’s right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee, and, in that event, Indemnitee’s rights and the Company’s obligations hereunder shall be subject to such determination.
14. Retention of Counsel. In the event that the Company shall be obligated to indemnify Indemnitee or advance Expenses to Indemnitee as a result of any Proceeding against Indemnitee, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding, with counsel approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election to do so. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to that same Proceeding, provided (a) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ Indemnitee’s own counsel in any such Proceeding at Indemnitee’s expense and (b) if (i) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company, (ii) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of such defense, or (iii) the Company shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to assume defense of such Proceeding, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee’s counsel shall be at the expense of the Company. The Company shall not be entitled to assume the defense of any Proceeding as to which Indemnitee shall have reasonably made the conclusion provided for in clause (b)(ii) above. The Company shall not be liable to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any action or claim effected without its prior written consent. Neither the Company nor Indemnitee will unreasonably withhold its or his consent to any proposed settlement. The Company
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shall not be obligated pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement to provide counsel, indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee with respect to Proceedings or other claims initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except with respect to proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification or advancement of Expenses under this Agreement, the Law or the Bylaws.
15. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
(a) “Change in Control” means a change in control of the Company occurring after the date of this Agreement of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or in response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Act, whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement; provided, however, that, without limitation, such a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred if after the date of this Agreement (i) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Act, as amended, but excluding (i) the Company, (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (iii) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company) other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or a corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company, is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities (other than any such person or any affiliate thereof that is such a 20% beneficial owner as of the date hereof) without the prior approval of at least two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors in office immediately prior to such person attaining such percentage interest; (ii) there occurs a proxy contest, or the Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, sale of assets, plan of liquidation or other reorganization, as a consequence of which members of the Board of Directors in office immediately prior to such transaction or event constitute less than a majority of the Board of Directors thereafter; or (iii) during any period of two consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), other than as a result of an event described in clause (a)(ii) of this Section 14, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors (including for this purpose any new director whose election or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of such period) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors. A Change in Control shall not be deemed to have occurred under item (i) above if the “person” described under item (i) is entitled to report its ownership on Schedule 13G promulgated under the Act and such person is able to represent that it acquired such
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securities in the ordinary course of its business and not with the purpose nor with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the Company, nor in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purpose or effect. If the “person” referred to in the previous sentence would at any time not be entitled to continue to report such ownership on Schedule 13G pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b)(3)(i)(B) of the Act, then a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred at such time.
(b) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent or fiduciary of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person is or was serving at the express written request of the Company.
(c) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(d) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the express written request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
(e) “Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, participating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 8(d) only, Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, by litigation or otherwise. The parties agree that for the purposes of any advancement of Expenses for which Indemnitee has made written demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included in such demand that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee’s counsel as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable.
(f) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of the Law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for
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indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
(g) “Proceeding” includes any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (formal or informal) nature, including any appeal therefrom, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, potential party, non-party witness or otherwise, by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director and/or officer of the Company, by reason of any action taken by him or of any inaction on his part while acting as a director and/or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact of his Corporate Status or that he otherwise is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, in each case whether or not he is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement, including one pending on or before the date of this Agreement and excluding one initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement to enforce his rights under this Agreement. If Indemnitee believes in good faith that a given situation may lead to or culminate in the institution of a Proceeding, this shall be considered a Proceeding under this paragraph.
(h) Reference to “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.
16. Severabilitv. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, illegal or otherwise unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of
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the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; and (b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
17. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification, termination or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties to this Agreement. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver, unless, in each case, the waiver expressly so states.
18. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder, and to keep the Company generally informed of, and consult with the Company with respect to, the status of any such Proceeding. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to the Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise.
19. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if (i) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, (ii) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed, (iii) sent by reputable overnight courier and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, or (iv) sent by facsimile transmission, with receipt of confirmation that such transmission has been received:
(a) | If to Indemnitee, to: |
[DIRECTOR] |
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(b) | If to the Company, to: |
Exar Corporation
00000 Xxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Fax: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Chief Executive Officer; Secretary
or to such other address or fax number as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be, in accordance with this Section 18.
20. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
21. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
22. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware without application of the conflict of laws principles thereof. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 8(a) of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Court”), and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court, and (iv) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
23. Gender. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.
EXAR CORPORATION | ||
By: |
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Name: | ||
Title: | ||
INDEMNITEE
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